Cushioning pad for wind instrument and method of making same



Jan. 3, 1967 J. H. KINDLESPARKER 3,295,403

CUSHIONING PAD FOR WIND INSTRUMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JACOB H. KINDLESPARKER BY I ATTO RN EV 3, 1967 J. H. KINDLESPARKER 3,295,403

CUSHIONING PAD FOR WIND INSTRUMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April '7, 1965 INVENTOR. JACOB H. Kl NDLES PARKER WM-MM ATTORNEY United States Patent Ohio Filed Apr. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 446,329 9 Claims. (Cl. 84-385) This invention relates to resilient cushioning pads and, in particular, relates to valve pads for wind instruments and to a method for making the same.

Heretofore, valve pads for wind instruments, for example, have been fabricated from leather-covered felt discs, reinforced inner paper disc, and an outer button of rigid plastic, all held together by a central rivet or a grommet. Such valve pads were expensive to produce, and were subject to early deterioration, requiring high labor costs for replacement. One object of the present invention is to provide an improved long-wearing cushioning pad of the character described, and an improved method for producing the same at low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making cushioning pads of the character described with a minimum of equipment, including the use of one vacuum-forming mold for making and assembling two cooperating parts of the cushioning pad having substantially differing shapes.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a valve pad for a wind instrument, embodying the features of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section through a saxophone valving means, illustrating the use of the improved cushioning valve pad in edgewise air-sealing relationship in a movable valve head, partly broken away, and in section.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-section through vacuumforming apparatus, in condition for one vacuum forming step in the process, and showing means for preheating vacuum formable material, in chain-dotted lines.

FIGURE 5 is a view corresponding in part to FIG- URE 4, but illustrating a second vacuum-forming step in the process, utilizing the same vacuum-forming mold.

FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 5, illustrating a final trimming step in the method.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a cushioning valve pad 10 for a wind instrument, such as for a saxophone or clarinet. As shown in FIGURE 3, the pad 10 is adapted to be cemented within a cup-shaped recess 11 of a spring-pressed valve head 11a for movement from and toward yielding air-sealing engagement with a raised peripheral seat 12a defining a tone-modifying aperture 12 in the wall 13 of the wind instrument W.

Referring, particularly, to FIGURES 1 to 3, the improved pad 10 includes a first circular, cup-shaped member 14 of air-impervious elastic, plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride, defined by a thin flexible diaphragm 15, and an integral out-turned peripheral flange 16. A second cup-shaped member 17 of the same or similar airimpervious elastic, plastic material is defined by a central web portion 18 and an integral inturned peripheral flange 19, the latter having a reversely formed out-turned peripheral extension flange 20 complementally received within the cup-shaped member 14, and heat bonded to the inner periphery of peripheral flange 16 to form a double-layered flange 16a, as best shown in FIGURE 3.

The diaphragm 15 and web 17 thereby define a closed chamber A which is filled with entrapped air at atmospheric pressure normally yieldingly to maintain the diaphragm 15 distended in flatwise condition, as shown in FIGURE 3.

In use of the pad 10, as shown in FIGURE 3, it is inserted within the recess 11 of the valve head 11a with the integrally connected double flange portion 16a complemental to the inner periphery 22a of the head and at least a substantial area of the web portion 17 is cemented to a flat wall 23 of the head. The diaphragm 15 is normally yieldingly held in air-sealing relation to the peripheral seat 12a of instrument W, as by spring-pressed valve head 11a. Cushioning air within the air chamber A assures rapid self-adjustment of the diaphragm 15 to full air-sealing engagement with the valve seat 12a each time the valve head is spring-pressed to the closed position shown in FIGURE 3. The flange portion 16a, however, is free to move with respect to said inner periphery 22a.

The steps of the method of the invention are shown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6. Referring first to FIGURE 5, a vacuum-forming mold plate 25, afiixed on a vacuum pan 26, is provided with an annular, upstanding peripheral wall 27 of suitable tapered cross-section, and defining a cup-shaped cavity 28. A plurality of inner air vents 29, 29 are provided through the wall portion of the mold plate defining the bottom of cavity 28, and a series of peripherally spaced air vents 30, 30 are provided through the mold plate outwardly of peripheral wall 27, but closely adjacent the base of the same.

Now, a first sheet F of hot, pliable, air-impervious synthetic resin, such as polyvinyl chloride, is moved flatwise, downwardly against the mold plate, whereby the air sucked through the inner and outer vents 29 and 30, respectively, draw the sheet material into conformity with the article-forming portions of the mold, including wall 27, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 4. This is effective to vacuum form the cup-shaped member 17 within the mold cavity 28, including the web portion 18 covering said inner vents 29, the out-turned peripheral flange 19, and the integral reversely formed, inturned peripheral flange extension 20, which is integrally connected to an excess marginal portion of sheet F. The marginal excess is severed by means of a suitable cutting die (similar to that shown in chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 6), to uncover the outer mold vents 30.

Next, a second sheet S of hot pliable material, such as polyvinyl chloride, is likewise moved flatwise toward the mold to be vacuum formed about the outer portions of the peripheral wal 27, as shown in FIGURE 5. That is, because the inner vents 29 are sealed by web 18, a second cup-shaped member 14 of different shape is formed, including a fiat diaphragm 15 and an integral, peripheral inturned flange 16 against and within which the flange 20 is complementally received (see FIGURES 1, 3, and 5). In this step the web portion 15 is not sucked inwardly, but remains flatwise across the rim of the wall 27, to form a hollow cavity between the web 18 and diaphragm 15, within which air at atmospheric pressure is trapped in the process.

As illustrated in full and chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 6, a suitable cutting die D is now operated to sever the excess of the sheet S around the base of the mold wall 27, and at the same time assure adhesion of the complementally engaging peripheral flanges 16 and 20 to each other to assure confinement of the trapped cushioning air in the chamber A.

Upon completion of the second cutting or trimming step, the finished article, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, may be removed from the mold plate. While only one article is shown as being formed on mold plate 25, it is self-evident that any number of pads 10 may be formed at the same time on a single mold plate. Accordingly, a complete set of pads of varying sizes for a given wind instrument may be molded as described at one time.

Other plastic resin materials than polyvinyl chloride may be utilized for producing the valve pads. As an example, polyurethane sheeting would be highly satisfactory for this purpose.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wind instrument valve pad or like cushioning object comprising: a first cup-shaped member of airimpervious, elastic material defined by a thin, flexible diaphragm and an integral out-turned peripheral flange; a second cupshaped member of air-impervious material defined by a central web portion and an inturned integral peripheral flange; said last named peripheral flange having a reversely formed out-turned peripheral flange complementally received within the first cup-shaped member and bonded to the inner periphery of said out-turned peripheral flange thereof, thereby to define a closed gas-filled chamber between said diaphragm and said web and an annular channel between said inturned peripheral flange of said second cup-shaped member and its reversely formed outturned peripheral flange.

2. A wind instrument valve pad or like cushioning object comprising: a first cup-shaped member of airimpervious, elastic material defined by a thin, flexible diaphragm and an integral out-turned peripheral flange; a second cup-shaped member of air-impervious material defined by a central web portion and an inturned integral peripheral flange; said last named peripheral flange having a reversely formed out-turned peripheral flange complementally received within the first cup-shaped member and bonded in air sealing relation to the inner periphery of said out-turned peripheral flange thereof, thereby to define a closed air-filled chamber between said diaphragm and said web and an annular channel between said inturned peripheral flange of said second cup-shaped member and its reversely formed out-turned peripheral flange.

3. A pad as in claim 2, said first and second cup-shaped members being of synthetic resin plastic.

4. A pad as in claim 3, said synthetic resin plastic being polyvinyl chloride.

5. A method of making a wind instrument valve pad or like cushioning object, comprising: the steps of providing a vacuum-forming mold plate having an upstanding peripheral wall defining a cup-shaped cavity, and having inner air vents through the portions of the plate de fining the bottom of the cavity and a series of peripherally spaced outer air vents through the plate outwardly of said peripheral wall and closely adjacent the base of the same; vacuum-forming a sheet of hot, pliable, airimpervious plastic material flatwise against said mold plate, and through said inner and outer air vents to vacuum form a cup-shaped member within the mold cavity, including a web portion covering said inner air vents, and an out-turned peripheral flange having an integral, reversely formed, inturned peripheral flange extension connected to a marginal portion of the sheet; severing said marginal portion from said inturned peripheral flange to expose said outer vents; and vacuum forming a second sheet of hot, pliable air-impervious plastic material to form a diaphragm flatwise across the outer rim of said peripheral wall to define a chamber between the diaphragm and said web; said outer air vents being eflective to draw an integral extension of the second sheet inwardly as an inturned peripheral flange complementally engaging said inturned peripheral flange extension of said first sheet, the steps of the method including bonding said inturned peripheral flange extension of the second formed sheet to the inturned peripheral flange extension of the first formed sheet; and removing the formed object from the mold plate.

6. The method as in claim 5, including the step of severing said marginal portions of said second sheet adjacent the juncture thereof with said inturned peripheral flange extension.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein said inturned peripheral flange and said inturned flange extension are heat bonded in air-sealing relationship, and sealing cushioning air in said chamber.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein said inturned peripheral flange and said inturned flange extension are heat bonded in air-sealing relationship, and sealing cushioning air in said chamber.

9. A method as in claim 5, said first and second sheets being polyvinyl chloride sheeting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,604,360 10/1926 McLean 84385.1 2,534,660 12/1950 Collis 84-385.]. 2,957,381 10/1960 Hillyard 84-385 X FOREIGN PATENTS 587,806 5/1947 Great Britain.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. CHARLES M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A METHOD OF MAKING A WIND INSTRUMENT VALVE PAD OR LIKE CUSHIONING OBJECT, COMPRISING: THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A VACUUM-FORMING MOLD PLATE HAVING AN UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL WALL DEFINING A CUP-SHAPED CAVITY, AND HAVING INNER AIR VENTS THROUGH THE PORTIONS OF THE PLATE DEFINING THE BOTTOM OF THE CAVITY AND A SERIES OF PERIPHERALLY SPACED OUTER AIR VENTS THROUGH THE PLATE OUTWARDLY OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL AND CLOSELY ADJACENT THE BASE OF THE SAME; VACUUM-FORMING A SHEET OF HOT, PLIABLE, AIRIMPERVIOUS PLASTIC MATERIAL FLATWISE AGAINST SAID MOLD PLATE, AND THROUGH SAID INNER AND OUTER AIR VENTS TO VACUUM FORM A CUP-SHAPED MEMBER WITHIN THE MOLD CAVITY, INCLUDING A WEB PORTION COVERING SAID INNER AIR VENTS, AND AN OUT-TURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE HAVING AN INTEGRAL, REVERSELY FORMED, INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENSION CONNECTED TO A MARGINAL PORTION OF THE SHEET; SEVERING SAID MARGINAL PORTION FROM SAID INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE TO EXPOSE SAID OUTER VENTS; AND VACUUM FORMING A SECOND SHEET OF HOT, PLIABLE AIR-IMPERVIOUS PLASTIC MATERIAL TO FORM A DIAPHRAGM FLATWISE ACROSS THE OUTER RIM OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL TO DEFINE A CHAMBER BETWEEN THE DIAPHRAGM AND SAID WEB; SAID OUTER AIR VENTS BEING EFFECTIVE TO DRAW AN INTEGRAL EXTENSION OF THE SECOND SHEET INWARDLY AS AN INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE COMPLEMENTALLY ENGAGING SAID INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENSION OF SAID FIRST SHEET, THE STEPS OF THE METHOD INCLUDING BONDING SAID INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENSION OF THE SECOND FORMED SHEET TO THE INTURNED PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENSION OF THE FIRST FORMED SHEET; AND REMOVING THE FORMED OBJECT FROM THE MOLD PLATE. 